Adjusting Roles
by mango19
Summary: Returning to the school three years after taking off, Rogue has to deal with the consequences.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Adjusting Roles

Author: Mango

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Rogue left six months after Jean returned as Phoenix. Now she has returned. This is my first X-men fic. Please review.

It had been almost three years. Three years since she left, leaving Logan in the dust behind her. Literally.

And now, it had appeared that Rogue had come full circle as she pulled in front of the school on one of Scott's bikes. As she stepped off the bike she gathered her bags and prepared herself for the inevitable. 

She opened the doors and stormed through the hallways ignoring the protests of some of the younger inhabitants. She grabbed hold of the handle on a thick oak door and swung it open. Xavier was sitting at his desk apparently holding a meeting of some kind with the senior staff. 

He smiled genuinely at her. "Welcome home, Rogue." He stated. "I trust you found what you were looking for?"

"Yes, thank you Professor." She answered, feeling suddenly like she never really left. She greeted Storm and Phoenix and they accepted her back with an ease she never thought possible. Hugs were exchanged with affection and she thought that this was what family felt like. She laughed at Scott who stood in the corner of the room looking somewhat shocked. 

She tossed the keys that were in her gloved hand and he caught them out of reflex. "Thanks for the bike." She smiled and winked before she felt a tingle up her spine. She could probably sense him but didn't need to. She could smell his scent, like ocean and wilderness. She turned the door where she had made her entrance and found him leaning casually on the doorframe. 

"Well, what have we here?" He inquired giving her a once over. She suddenly felt uncomfortable in her leather pants and jean jacket. It seemed appropriate for the bike, but now she felt awkward under his stony gaze.

"Logan." She responded coolly with a nod of her head.

"You're all grown up, Kid." He said, and she shrugged as nonchalantly as she could pull off.

"It happens." She turned to Xavier and inquired about her room.

"It's exactly how you left it, Rogue. Go rest some before dinner." he said, looking amused at the exchange.

"Thank you." She said and she turned and left. Logan followed her, and she let him. It was easier, she remembered, than trying to stop him from doing something he had made up his mind to do. She climbed the stairs and opened the door and left it open for him to follow her, if he wished.

"So that's it then?" He said angrily raising his voice.

"What were you expecting?" She tossed over her shoulder as she stripped off her jean jacket exposing her bare shoulders by wearing a black tank top. She then began to unpack her belongings. 

"Well, I sure as hell wasn't expecting you take off like that. That's my role, Marie, not yours." He said, with such emotion that she was slightly taken aback, but she continued to unpack her bag. He grabbed her arm swung her around to face him. "Look at me, damn it!"

"It's Rogue." She responded while shaking off his arm. "And I guess we all pick our own roles, now don't we?" She said taking off her leather gloves and tossing them onto the desk.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean, Marie?" He said grabbing her arm. She froze, literally froze before she removed her arm from his grip.

"Careful, Wolverine." She said scolding him for his careless actions. 

"I'm not scared of you, Marie." He said, in a more than slightly demeaning tone. 

"Rogue. And it's supposed to mean that I'm sorry if I don't fit into to the role you set out for me, Wolverine, but I am my own person. I was sick and tired of being defined by the people I was surrounded with." She said, trying to remember the girl she once was. 

"Like me?" He asked, his eyes boring into hers.

"Oh don't go getting all sentimental on me. You had your chance the night I left and you let me go. _You_ let _me_ go. Don't ever forget that, even if you find you hate who I have become. You're the reason I became who I am." She said before she could stop herself.

"What ever happened to not being defined by the people you are surrounded with?" He asked. She stopped dead in her tracks and glared at him. How could she leave herself so vulnerable?

"Please go. I need to freshen up before dinner." He left smirking and she cursed herself. 


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Adjusting Roles

Author: Mango

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Please review.

~ 

After a quick shower Rogue changed into a pair of jeans and a red sweater. Looking into the mirror she decided she was decent enough to have dinner. She picked up her long black gloves and slid them over her skin before heading downstairs.

She was caught up in minutes with people either remembering her or those who heard about her. The reunion with Bobby was probably the most awkward.

"Hey." He had said, before she had even seen him. And there he was, standing right in front of her.

"Bobby. Hi." She said. Searching for anything to say to make him not so cold, but failed miserably.

"You're looking well." He observed, glancing quickly at her gloved hands.

"As are you." And it was the truth. He had grown into a man that she knew was inside somewhere and it suited him. 

He nodded curtly and turned away from her, predictably. 

Logan's gaze fell hard on her shoulders but she did her best to ignore it, while socializing with a number of young students who were somewhat in awe of her.

When dinner was served the chatter continued and Rogue withdrew from the conversation, hoping to escape the gaze of the others as well. No such luck. "Rogue." Xavier said, succeeding in getting her attention. She turned to him in silent acknowledgement. "May I see you in my office after dinner?"

"Certainly, Professor." She answered, her smile growing genuinely. She was looking forward to being honest, for the first time in almost three years.

* * *

She knocked on the oak door that she knew all too well. She opened it slightly peering in. "Professor?" 

"Yes, Rogue, please come in. I look forward to talking with you." He stated. When she opened the door she found him at his desk reviewing some files.

"Actually, so do I." She responded, blushing slightly.

"Please, take a seat." He gestured.

"Thank you." She said while taking a seat in the push black leather chair in from of her.

"Still wearing the gloves, I see." He said, looking at her hands that were currently fidgeting with the corners of the fingers of her black gloves.

"Yeah." She paused, pondering, perhaps, why she did. "I guess they're kind of a comfort. To remind me of the times that I couldn't control it."

"Are you confident with your abilities to control your power?" He asked, gazing directly at her, as if to catch any hesitation. 

"Yes." She said, firmly. It had taken her two years to perfect.

"Show me."

She slowly removed her gloves. Second guessing herself she shook off her insecurities. She had done this hundreds of times. He extended his hand across his desk and she met his with hers. There was nothing but flesh on flesh. No powers, no death and no fear. 

* * * 

Hours later she sat on the counter in the kitchen cradling a glass of cool water. She was curled with her knees to her chin and staring out the window, although the darkness made it impossible to see past the patio. 

Jubilee entered, wearing bright colours and a wide grin. "Hey, Rogue."

"Hey. What are you up to?" Rogue asked, hoping for a distraction from her dark thoughts.

"Nothing. Just thought I'd see what you were up to before heading to bed." She responded. She knew that Jubilee cared about her, and was sorry for missing so much of her life.

"Want to go for a walk?" Rogue offered.

"Now? It's late, Rogue. Some of us have training in the morning." She said, half teasing. 

"Right." She said, smiling lightly. "Maybe next time."

Jubilee left after saying "Goodnight."

Logan entered the room stealthily but she sensed him, damning herself for not doing her brooding elsewhere. She rose instinctively and placed her glass in the washer before attempting to leave the kitchen. 

"Where are you going, Kid?" He asked, half mocking her.

"A walk." She said, unlocking the door joining the patio. 

"Not by yourself."

"Jesus, Logan. You forget I'm twenty-one years old. Open your eyes." She dramatically took off her gloves and tossed them onto the table. "Besides, I'm the last person you have to be worrying about walking in the middle of the night." She said, opening the door and stepping out into the cool air. She shivered instinctively and pulled her arms tight around her before continuing to walk.

"Damn it, Marie." He said, she jumped a little, not realizing how close he was. "You aren't invincible, you know. I've saved your life before, I was there when you almost died."

"I know." She stated solemnly gathering her arms tighter around her as if to ward off the memories. 

"Put your gloves on." He said, passing her the silk gloves. She sighed and slipped them on. 

They walked for a good hour before returning to the school where Rogue went straight to her room after whispering goodnight to Logan.


End file.
